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the POOL aoyama

Anyone For A Dip?

Though Tokyo is one of the largest global cities with respect to geographic sprawl, it’s also one of the most populous, meaning there’s a lot of competition for square feet and sometimes Tokyoites have to get a little creative when it comes to finding a home or business space that works. Such is the case with retail concept the POOL aoyama, a newly opened menswear and lifestyle boutique in the upscale district that takes both its interior design cues and name from its predecessor, a 1970s residential building swimming pool.

Designed by local fashion and music icon Hiroshi Fujiwara, the interior unsurprisingly strikes hard on the style gong, while keeping intact many of the features from its previous life. The sunken, bare concrete space is accented with a water-rusted metal pool ladder, blue and white tile, and glass and timber flooring hovering over the pool’s former ‘deep end’. Hanging rails and sleek white shelves are stocked with a select range of local labels including N. Hoolywood and Undercover, plus bags, quirky lifestyle bits and a rotating cache from emerging international designers. There’s also an ever-changing assortment of exclusive own-brand items created in collaboration with established names from Lacoste to Head Porter and spanning polo-shirts to laptop cases, and sea-scented car fresheners to logo-lined toilet paper. Dive in!